Monday, February 20, 2012

{there are no mistakes, just beautiful reinventions}

{Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep. ~Scott Adams}

I have long since learned that this is the beauty of {ART}. There is no right or wrong. No proverbial black or white. We, as creators of art, are free to claim our mistakes as much more. We are free to scoop them up, recycle them, re-purpose them, reinvent them ... make them into something beautiful once more.

... but first let me take you back a bit ...

I have long since been a lover of the primitive arts. Years ago I bought a simple set of directions, a rug hooking frame and some scraps of wool. I was literally {hooked} if you will! Armed with a new cutter and a notebook full of designs I began creating rugs.

They took hours and hours and hours and hours to make, but they were {real}. They were going to last a lifetime. A craft of the past. When someone ordered a custom designed rug they were in fact getting an heirloom.

... fast forward ...

I recently started what was to be a miniature {rug} for a wall hanging. Somewhere along the way it dissolved into something smaller than miniature. A mistake. {or so I thought}. So I tucked it away for another day ... after all, the wool had been dyed, stripped and partially hooked. I could abandon it, but I have never had to heart to take a rug apart ... and so that day came. Last week, as I rooted through a cupboard I stumbled across the partially finished {miniature rug}. The colors were wonderful and since I have been a fanatic crazy woman making bags left and right around here I decided then and there it might not be a rug, but it could certainly be a bright and cheery panel on a bag.

... and so it was ...

I remounted it on the frame and finished the hooking. It was satisfying to be holding the hook again. Once it was complete I sewed it to one of the panels of a duck cloth tote bag I was working on ...

... as I am huge into {re-purposing} these days as well, I gathered up some cool vintage fabric my sweet, sweet neighbor gave me and used it as a liner for the tote bag. Some canvas straps, a shabby muslin ruffle and of course, a {great big huge ruffly silky flower}. I even threw in a hand dyed velvet center for the flower ...

...the reverse side of the tote is embellished with a tiny felted heart with wings ...

Hi Rae! You don't know me but I am your newest follower. I found you through Romantic Homes and just so you know I am doing a little blurb on you on my blog tomorrow. Kind of a congratulations for being featured in Romantic Homes. Maybe you'll get some new followers. Hope you have a wonderful Sunday! xo Diana